Occupant propelled rotatable riding device



Feb. 15, 1966 A. DA DE SHANO 33,235,251l

OCCUPANT PROPELLED ROTATABLE RIDING DEVICE Filed March '7, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

FIG-l INVENTOR. ALPHONSE D. DE SHANQ ATTORNEY Feb. 15, 1966 A. D. DE SHANO 3,235,251

OGCUPANT PROPELLED ROTATABLE RIDING DEVICE Filed March '7, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTO'R. ALPHONSE D. DE SHIANO ATTO RNE United States Patent ice 3,235,251 OCCUPANT PROPELLED ROTATABLE RIDING DEVICE Alphonse D. De Shane, 950 Noyes Ave., Hamilton, Ohio Filed Mar.7, 1963, Ser- No. 263,513 6 Claims. (Cl. 272-33) The present invention relates to an amusement device of the kind generally known as a merry-go-round or whirligig, to be actuated by effort of the riders, usually children. The device may be classed as indoor and outdoor playground equipment.

An object of the invention is to provide a device of the character stated, which has great appeal to children of various ages and provides for healthful exercise as well as amusement in a safe and wholesome manner.

Another object is to provide in a device of the chara'c ter mentioned a simple and durable means of propulsion actuated in a casual, seemingly effortless manner by all ridersexerting successive drive impulses which keep the device operating smoothly and evenly at all times.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved rider-propelled Whirligig which is of simple and durable yet inexpensive construction, and which readily and easily may be set up for use, or moved from one location to another when desired.

The foregoing and other objects are attained by the means described herein and illustrated upon the accompa'riying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a top view of the amusement device, shown partly incross-section andwith some of its parts broken away.

FIG. 2 is a side elevation, parts being broken away for clarity of disclosure. j j

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary cross-section taken on line 3- 3;of FIG. 1, and on an enlarged scale.

FIG. 4 is an enlargedcrosss'ectibrr taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 3:

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view on line 55of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a development of a cam utilized in circular or ring formation in actual practice. 7

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing a modification of the structure illustrated by FIG. 5;

With reference'to the accompanying drawings; 10 indicates generally a base frame preferably horizontal, and supported above ground level by a plurality of outwardly divergent legs 12 each having a foot 14 at its lower end. The base frame may include a plurality of coplanar structural steel members 16, such as channel irons, for example, meeting at a central location or hub 18 where they may be welded together or joined any other suitable manner. Members 1 6 may be suitably braced by means of a system of struts 20 welded or otherwise fixed thereto.

Welds 22 or other fastening means may be employed to secure the oute fends of frame members 16 and 20 to a large cylindrical cam 24, which stands upright to expose an upper camtrack 26 of undulating substantially sinusoidal contour. The cam may receive added support from a series of upright braces 28 fixed to the cam and to the legs 12 of the framework. In most of the drawing views, the cam track is shown merely as an upper edge of the cam member, but as suggested by the modifi- 3,235,251 Patented Feb. 15,1966

cation, FIG. 7, the cam track may consistof a tube 30 welded upon the top edge of cam 24, the tube extending ber 34 which may be in the form of a bolt or post as shown. The pivot member may be surrounded by one or more anti-friction bearings 38, which in turn support a rotor or plate 40 adapted for free' rotation about the axis of the pivot member. Rotor 4t) may be held against longitudinal shifting along the pivot member by means of a suitable retainer, such as a nut 42 applied to the upper screw-threaded end of the pivot member. The

retaining means shown is, of course, exemplary only, and

may be of any approved type or design. A cover or cap for the retainer is indicated at 44.

From the rotor 40 extend a plurality of outwardly reachingarms properly designated as carriage frames 46, which at their outer ends 48 support carriages 50 to be mounted by riders of the device. While as herein shown the carriage 50 is in the form of a horse or other animal, it may as well take the form of a rocket, boat, or other popular conveyance.

Each carriage frame 46 is preferably constructed of apair of long metallic structural shapes 54 such as U irons, L-irons, or tube stock, having inner ends converging and secured to a clevis 52, while the outer ends diverge to form substantially an elongate triangle. The arms of each carriage frame may be connected, outside the confines of cam member 24, by a spacer or bar 56 of metal welded or otherwise fixed across the carriage arms. Carriage 50 may be securedto a pair of carriage arms near their outer ends, in such manner as may be desired, so long asthe carriage may tilt in correspondency with tilting movements of clevis 52. As herein suggested, the spaced ends 4848 of the carriage arms are thrust through the body of carriage 50, and are secured therein, to produce a fixed connection.

Clevis 52 in each instance carries a pivot pin fitlwhereby the clevis is pivoted to the swivel member 62 of a universal joint structure based upon the horizontal rotor 40. In addition to member 62, the universal joint may include a base 64 bolted or otherwise secured upon the rotor, and a pair of upstanding fixed ears 66-66 carrying'a pivot pin 68' arranged at right angles to pin and passing through swivel member 62 at a distance from pin or Thus member 62 may rock in one direction about pin 68, while clevis 52 may rock about pin 60 at right angles thereto.

Each arm 54 of a carriage frame is provided with a pair or set of rollers '76 adapted to ride upon the undulating upper edge or track 26 of cam 24, and each roller 7% is preferably ball-bearing mounted upon a bracket 72 welded or otherwise suitably fixed to an arm 54 (FIGS. 4 and 5). If the track is in the form of a tube 30, in accordance with the modification of FIG. 7, the roller will preferably have a concave or grooved periphery. If, however, the track is provided by an edge of the earn, a common form of roller such as '70 may be employed.

From the foregoing, and by reference to FIG. 2, it

will be understood that when both roller brackets 72 of a set are on the high point of cam 24, as at the right in FIG. 2, the horse or carriage supported by arms 54 will be horizontal. On the other hand, when as at the left in FIG. 2, one roller bracket is on the high point and the other is at a lower elevation upon the cam track, the horse or carriage in that case will be tilted correspondingly with the tilt of arms 5454 at the left in P16. 2. This same tilting effect is indicated upon the diagram of FIG. 6, wherein the rollers of a carriage at A may tilt the horse head upwardly as the rollers ascend the cam track, whereas rollers at B in descending the cam track necessarily lower the horse head. The body of the rider accordingly is induced to lean rearwardly or forwardly as the rollers of a carriage ascend or descend, respectively a slope of the cam track.

It should be apparent from the foregoing explanation that deliberate forward and backward leaning of the bodies of the riders is depended upon to induce and maintain rotation of the Whirligig or merry-go-round. With one roller-set or pair on the high point of the cam, and another set descending the cam track as in FIG. 2, the weight of the rider associated with the latter set must necessarily act to drive the other roller-set off the high point of the cam and into descent. Then as the righthand roller-set of FIG. 2 descends toward a low point of the cam, the left-hand roller-set is drawn, and carried by momentum, up the ascending section of the cam, aided by deliberate alternate forward and backward leaning of the bodies of the riders.

Referring to the illustration of FIG. 6, the rollers of one carriage are at the lowest point of the cam While those of the carriage directly opposite said one carriage are at the high point of the cam. Of the two remaining opposed carriages, one is ascending and the other is descending a slope of the cam track. Therefore, rider B, wishing to advance to the right, shifts or throws his body weight to the right or forwardly, while rider A leans backward. By this concerted action rider B, going over the rise and starting down hill, by throwing his weight down hill urges his carriage to speed up, aided by gravity, while rider A starting on the upgrade, by leaning backward relieves the pressure or down thrust on the rollers,, particularly the advancing rollers so that the momenturn helps to carry him up the incline. B accordingly descends the cam and A ascends at the same rate of travel, this resulting in C starting a descent to aid the advancement, while D is pulled, and carried by momentum, up the ascending slope which he faces. All riders concerned may aid the advancement by shifting their body weight in proper direction.

In FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the reference character 86 indicates a conical bonnet or canopy having a depending skirt 82 surrounding cam 24, and covering the cam track and carriage rollers which might cause injury to children playing thereabout. The bonnet or canopy may be supported upon uprights at 84, the lower ends of which uprights may be fixed to rotor 40 at 86 so that the bonnet and{ the rotor move in unison. \Vhere the arms of the carriage frames project outwardly from the cam, the bonnet is vertically slot-ted as at 88 to permit raising and lowering of the carriage arm-s incident to operation of the device.

The apparatus can be operated by one or more riders, and the number of carriages need not be limited to the four carriages which the drawings suggest. In larger or more elaborate form, the device may be constructed to accommodate a greater number of riders by increasing the number of carriages and carriage frames, with or without increasing the number of undulations of the cam track.

It is to be understood that various modifications and changes may be made in the structural details of the device, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

I. A rotatable riding amusement device for children, to be operated only by concerted forward and rearward swaying of the bodies of at least two children riding thereon and comprising a main supporting frame and a stationary circular undulatory track thereon of sinusoidal contour providing high and low elevation portions in alternation curving smoothly one into the other, and with a high portion diametrically opposite a low portion, a rotor positioned at the center of said circular track and turning on a vertical axis, at least two elongate individual carriage frames free of connection with each other and each frame having an inner end and an outer end, a universal coupling between the inner end of each frame and said rotor, said frames extending radially outwardly from said rotor substantially in alignment one with the other and across the top of said track, the said frames having the outer ends thereof terminating a substantial distance beyond the circular track, a pair of rollers carried by each frame at relatively widely spaced positions transversely of the frame and engaging and riding on said track for supporting the frame on the track with one roller of the pair trailing the other due to the spaced positions of the rollers, the spacing of said rollers on each frame being such that when one roller of a pair is on a high portion of the track, the other roller of the same pair is always upon an inclined portion of the track between said high portion and an adjacent low portion of the track, a carriage mounted on and fixed to the outer end portion of each carriage frame to accommodate a rider, the said universal coupling between the inner end of each frame and said rotor securing the frame against outward movement while permitting up and down movement of the outer end of the frame and carriage riding on the track, the inclined portions of the track effecting simultaneous opposite reverse turnings of the frames on their respective axes, the pair of supporting rollers on the frame moving from a low portion of the track upwardly on said inclined portion and over a succeeding high portion and downwardly on an inclined portion to the next low portion, and the simultaneous and alternate backward and forward swaying movements of the bodies of riders on the carriages on the outer ends of the aligned frames imparting necessary momentum to rotate the carriage frames of the rotor.

2. The invention as defined by claim 1, wherein said circular undulatory track constitutes a top edge of an upright cylindricall body and the said supporting frame includes a plurality of elongate structural elements having ends joined at the center of said body and radiating from such center and secured at their outer ends to the body and supporting legs attached to said structural elements, and said rotor being mounted upon the structural elements at the joined ends thereof.

3. The invention as defined by claim 1, wherein each of said carriage frames comprises a pair of long structural shapes having inner end converging portions joined to a clevis and outer end portions in substantially parallel relation located radially outwardly beyond said track, and said clevis being an operative element of the said universal coupling between the said inner end of the frame and the said rotor.

4. The invention as defined by claim 3, wherein each roller of the pair carried by the carriage frame is mounted upon one of the structural shapes of the pair forming the frame.

5. The invention as defined by claim I, wherein said main supporting frame embodies in part an upright cylindrical body and said circular undulatory track forms a part of a top edge of the body, with means at the center of the body providing a support for said rotor and having the rotor mounted thereon, each of said carriage frames comprising a pair of long structural shapes having inner end converging portions and outer end portions in 5 6 substantially parallel relation located radially outwardly roller is mounted upon a bracket carried by the frame beyond said track, said inner end portions being joined structural shape. together and to the rotor, the said track having a rounded top in cross section, and each roller of the pair carried References (med y the Examiner by a carriage frame being mounted upon one of the 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS structural shapes of the pair forming that frame for rota- 793 236 6/1905 Schlueter 272 44 X tion on an axis extending across the track, and each roller 1 818647 8/1931 Pronnecke 272 44 X having a grooved periphery with the said rounded top of 2:533:368 12/1950 Hansen et 272 44 X the track engaged therein.

6. The invention as defined by claim 5, wherein each 10 RICHARD C PINKHAM primary Exwninen 

1. A ROTATABLE RIDING AMUSEMENT DEVICE FOR CHILDREN, TO BE OPERATED ONLY BY CONSECTED FORWARD AND REARWARD SWAYING OF THE BODIES OF AT LEAST TWO CHILDER RIDING THEREON AND COMPRISING A MAIN SUPPORTING FRAME AND A STATIONARY CIRCULAR UNDULATORY TRACK THEREON OF SINUSOIDAL CONTOUR PROVIDING HIGH AND LOW ELEVATION PORTIONS IN ALTERNATION CURVING SMOOTHLY ONE INTO THE OTHER, AND WITH A HIGH PORTION DIAMETRICALLY OPPOSITE A LOW PORTION, A ROTOR POSITIONED AT THE CENTER OF SAID CIRCULAR TRACK AND TURNING ON A VERTICAL AXIS, AT LEAST TWO ELONGATE INDIVIDUAL CARRIAGE FRAMES FREE OF CONNECTION WITH EACH OTHER AND EACH FRAME HAVING AN INNER END AND AN OUTER END, A UNIVERSAL COUPLING BETWEEN THE INNER END OF EACH FRAME AND SAID ROTOR, SAID FRAMES EXTENDING RADIALLY OUTWARDLY FROM SAID ROTOR SUBSTANTIALLY IN ALIGNMENT ONE WITH THE OTHER AND ACROSS THE TOP OF SAID TRACK, THE SAID FRAMES HAVING THE OUTER ENDS THEREOF TERMINATING A SUBSTANTIAL DISTANCE BEYOND THE CIRCULAR TRACK, A PAIR OF ROLLERS CARRIED BY EACH FROME AT RELATIVELY WIDELY SPACED POSITIONS TRANSVERSELY OF THE FRAME AND ENGAGING AND RIDING ON SAID TRACK FOR SUPPORTING THE FRAME ON THE TRACK WITH ONE ROLLER OF THE PAIR TRAILING THE OTHER DUE TO THE SPACED POSITIONAS OF THE ROLLERS, THE SPACING OF SAID ROLLERS ON EACH FRAME BEING SUCH THAT WHEN ONE ROLLER OF A PAIR IS ON A HIGH PORTION OF THE TRACK, THE OTHER ROLLER OF THE SAME PAIR IS ALWAYS UPON AN INCLINED PORTION OF THE TRACK BETWEEN SAID HIGH PORTION AND AN ADJACENT LOW PORTION OF THE TRACK, A CARRIAGE MOUNTED ON AND FIXED TO THE OUTER END PORTION OF EACH CARRIAGE FRAME TO ACCOMMODATE A RIDER, THE SAID UNIVERSAL COUPLING BETWEEN THE INNER END OF EACH FRAME AND SAID ROTOR SECURING THE FRAME AGAINST OUTWARD MOVEMENT WHILE PERMITTING UP AND DOEN MOVEMENT OF THE OUTER END OF THE FRAME AND CARRIAGE RIDING ON THE TRACK, THE INCLINED PORTIONS OF THE TRACK EFFECTING SIMULTANEOUS OPPOSITE REVERSE TURNINGS OF THE FRAMES ON THEIR RESPECTIVE AXES, THE PAIR OF SUPPORTING ROLLERS ON THE FRAME MOVING FROM A LOW PORTION OF THE TRACK UPWARDLY ON SAID INCLINED PORTION AND OVER A SUCCEEDING HIGH PORTION AND DOWNWARDLY ON AN INCLINED PORTION TO THE NEXT LOW PORTION, AND THE SIMULTANEOUS AND ALTERNATE BACKWARD AND FORWARD SWAYING MOVEMENTS OF THE BODIES OF RIDERS ON THE CARRIAGES ON THE OUTER ENDS OF THE ALIGNED FRAMES IMPARTING NECESSARY MOMENTUM TO ROTATE THE CARRIAGE FRAMES OF THE TOTOR. 